The 21st century work force is taking shape now. And guess what? White, U.S.-born men are a minority. Employers must learn to compete for the best of a diverse lot

Shortly after he took over as chairman of Delaware-based E.I. Du Pont de Nemours two years ago, Edgar Woolard called a meeting of his company's 325 top managers at Palm Beach, Fla. Looking out at a roomful of white men, peppered with fewer than a dozen women and minorities, the new boss delivered a stunning ultimatum. The next time Du Pont's managers gathered, Woolard said, he'd better see significantly more women and minorities in the room. Last March, when Woolard and 390 executives attended the company's leadership conference in Chantilly, Va., 25% of those present were women and minorities. Though not...